The culture rich tribe

The brief cultural anthropology 👋

The Karbi as a tribe stands amongst the most diverse and rich cultural heritage tribes. Dwelling in picturesque area of a mix of plains and hills, with a moderate and pleasant temperature, the diverse ethnic cuisine offered is an entirely different realization. Although strong similarities in food are visible in all the different tribal cuisines, there are still subtle differences to be found when one experiences it oneself. The journey of a human being from birth to death, and the subsequent journey of the eternal soul to its heavenly abode is well followed as taught from the century old traditional legacy and is continuing till date. The elders say that ‘Ru Rangsina Sarpo‘ the legendary Karbi God descended from heaven and showed the path of culture and tradition to the Karbi tribe and told them to follow it for for their welfare. From the first raindrop of the year to the end of harvesting, every occasion is celebrated with songs and dances. The beginning of the year is started with celebration of ‘RONGKER’, a religious offering for the well being of all members of a particular area or village. Then the elders of the dwellers of ‘RONG-ARAK’ also known as ‘RONGHANG RONGBONG’ (capital of the Karbi Religious King) on due permission from the King performs the ‘BOTOR KEKUR’ ( A prayer and singing of Weather Song known as ‘BOTOR ALUN’ for appeasement of the Weather God for timely showering of rain and providing suitable climatic conditions during the whole year for wealthy harvesting of crops).

JAMBILI ATHON 👋

Jambili Athon is curved out from a species of evergreen tree known as Bengvoi ke’er or Scarlet Wrightia (Wrightia Coccinea Sims (Apocynacae). This species is selected because the timber does not crack or bend. From being a sacred object owned only by Chiefs and village headmen, the regards for preservation of arts and crafts of the tribe have paved the way for this Jambili Athon to get into the limelight in a much bigger platform and thus it is now viewed as the national symbol of the Karbi tribe. Earlier, the Jambili Athon was only used in a funeral festival known as Chomkan or Chomangkan where the official participation of each village is counted by the numbers of Jambili Athon present in the festival. Due to religious taboo, as it is being used only during the funeral festival, it was considered as an object and mostly remained wrapped and kept in a secluded place. The ‘RITNONG CHINGDI’ is a dance performed by the youths at the time of sowing the seeds at the cultivation site. On completion of the cultivation season the youths return to their respective dormitories known as ‘TERANK’ and learn all those arts of CRAFTING (wooden and bamboo) including rituals, customs and traditions and the damsels learn the art of weaving, crafting, singing from their respective elders. The youths then gather together for collecting the bamboo shoots by performing the dance known as ‘HENUP AHI KEKAN’ which is kept and stored for fulfilling the year long requirement of bamboo shoots. During the harvesting season the youths(male) can be seen threshing and carrying sacks of paddy on their shoulders to the granary, dancing away the “HACHA KEKAN” (harvesting dance) with joy at the success of their cultivating efforts. After storage of paddy at the granary, some amount is taken out for husking to produce rice for daily meal. It is during this husking of paddy by the damsels that the “LENGPUM SOKCHON” dance is performed in rhythm with the motion of pounding rice using specially crafted wooden mortar and pestel called “LONG and LENGPUM”.

No Manuscript 👋

Customs, traditions, rituals, songs and dances are followed as orally taught and passed from the older generation to the younger generation without any hand written manuscript. That is, the Karbi customs and traditions are passed from generation to generation through word of mouth. Taught through faith The legacy of retrospecting and revering at least the last five(5) mentors in hierarchy and dead family members are practiced and followed by the Karbi tribe. It shows the flow of culture, art, craft, custom and tradition from one generation to the next generation.

Taught through faith 👋

Customs, traditions, rituals, songs and dances are followed as orally taught and passed from the older generation to the younger generation without any hand written manuscript. That is, the Karbi customs and traditions are passed from generation to generation through word of mouth. Taught through faith The legacy of retrospecting and revering at least the last five(5) mentors in hierarchy and dead family members are practiced and followed by the Karbi tribe. It shows the flow of culture, art, craft, custom and tradition from one generation to the next generation.